Is sacred music still sacred if performed by non-believers?
score:4
This is similar to a perennial question raised on a couple of Email lists devoted to Anglican and Catholic church music to which I subscribe, and ultimately comes down to the definition of "sacred music". In the email lists, it was found impossible to agree on a rigorous definition, but it was generally agreed that we could identify it when we heard it. One view posted there was that music which a person believed served to enhance the connection between him or herself and the Almighty was "sacred", and that the beliefs of the lyricist, translator, composer, orchestrators or performers, were of little or no consequence if the work led to a closer relationship with the Almighty. The consensus was that whether someone involved in a "sacred" composition was not Christian was similar to the production of other items used in meditation and worship. Would it matter if the pews in the church, or the furniture used in meditation at home is manufactured by a machine, a Buddhist, or a Christian?
Some famous pieces of 20th century sacred music, in fact, were composed by people who were not particularly religious. And yet, they are masterworks, included in Cathedral music lists on a regular basis, and have brought many people closer to God. Examples include the Peter Warlock ("Bethlehem Down"), and Ralph Vaughan Williams ("Mass / Communion Service in g"; "Blest is the Man"), among others.
There is another issue here, too. Both Old Testament and New Testaments contain examples of where the Almighty chose to use people who did not know they had a relationship with him as agents of his will. In my view, "Christian" music by non-Christian is an exact parallel to this.
Upvote:2
I know this has an accepted answer, but I would like to add this from Philippians 1
15 Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also from good will; 16 the latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel; 17 the former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition rather than from pure motives, thinking to cause me distress in my imprisonment. 18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice.
It seems that Paul was more concerned with the words spoken (they glorified God) than the heart of the speaker. The same would apply to sacred music. If it lifts the listener's thoughts toward God, then it does not matter who performed the music.
On the other hand, in many protestant services, the choice of music is made spontaneously, chosen by the worship leader as he or she attempts to draw the congregation into worship. I believe in this case, there is less performance and more pastoral in nature. So I believe the beliefs of the performer matter.
More post
- 📝 What is the official Catholic position on heterosexual civil partnerships?
- 📝 Do the Gnostic Gospels exist online anywhere in original Coptic?
- 📝 Does Calvinism recognize that it has God working at cross purposes to His stated desire?
- 📝 Why doesn't God remit everyone of original sin in Catholicism?
- 📝 What is the earliest Christian use of a worship leader?
- 📝 Can you help me solve this theological puzzle over John 1:14?
- 📝 Is the Prophet Jonah the same Jonah as in 2 Kings 14:23-25?
- 📝 Did St. John Chrysostom believe in papal primacy?
- 📝 About the intercessions of Saints to God, on one's behalf?
- 📝 Did Paul preach Jesus's message?
- 📝 Are there any common themes in the dreams so many Muslims have that prompt them to come to Jesus?
- 📝 What exactly is the process of becoming a Jesuit?
- 📝 (Jehovah's Witnesses) What reason(s) is there to actually love God?
- 📝 When was the name of Sinai first applied to the Sinai peninsular?
- 📝 Genesis 19. 8 Why should he protect strangers above protect his daughters?
- 📝 Can people who don’t believe, yet don’t not believe in Jesus Christ, still make it into heaven if they’re a good person?
- 📝 If a husband wants to recommit to Catholicism but his wife does not want to convert, will they be considered to be adulterers?
- 📝 Does Christianity provide the right elements for democracy?
- 📝 How is the command to "Take it to the Church" interpreted in light of Protestant Ecclesiology?
- 📝 What exactly is a liber ordinarius?
- 📝 What is the basis for penance (satisfaction) in sacramental confession?
- 📝 According to Trinitarians, were/are some Jews Trinitarians? Who is this "Father" - the Creator spoken of throughout the Old Testament?
- 📝 According to Catholic doctrine, what effect does the Last Judgment have on those who are already in heaven?
- 📝 Bloodletting and Protestantism?
- 📝 Did Angels sent to earth before Jesus have literal human bodies?
- 📝 In what countries is Christianity banned?
- 📝 What are examples of Latter-day Saint doctrines that are NOT completely based on the Bible?
- 📝 What is the Protestant view of communal living?
- 📝 When did the Lion of the tribe of Judah take the book from the One sitting on the throne?
- 📝 Does Catholicism confound the role of "elder" and "priest"?
Source: stackoverflow.com
Search Posts
Related post
- 📝 Is sacred music still sacred if performed by non-believers?
- 📝 Why do adherents to the priesthood of all believers still have organized congregations?
- 📝 Why do non believers hate being confronted with the truth?
- 📝 Can I believe in evolution and still be a Christian?
- 📝 To what extent does the Law of Moses still apply?
- 📝 What is the oldest hymn (with music) that is still sung in churches today?
- 📝 Do the Catholic Church ex cathedra pronouncements about necessity of Catholicism to be saved still apply?
- 📝 Why do Catholics believe transubstantiated host may still affect the gluten sensitive?
- 📝 Is any of Jesus' carpentry still around?
- 📝 What is the Biblical basis for withholding communion from believers who are unbaptized?
- 📝 According to believers in the inexorable damnation of the unreached, how is God not unfair for letting someone be born in unreachable conditions?
- 📝 What is the basis for saying rock music is sinful?
- 📝 If the Bible has been changed over the years, can we still trust it?
- 📝 Did God still dwell in the temple while Jesus was on Earth?
- 📝 Did the first Christian believers keep the Sabbath and if so on which day?
- 📝 Which of Luther's 95 Theses are still potentially valid critiques of Roman Catholicism?
- 📝 Why did early Christians in Acts still go to the Jewish temple every day?
- 📝 Is the marital act of consumating marriage part of Sacred Tradition in the Catholic Church?
- 📝 Does Acts 15:21 assume new believers would learn and follow the law from synagogues on sabbath?
- 📝 What happens to non-believers or believers of other religions after death?
- 📝 What is the basis for forbidding prerecorded music in worship services?
- 📝 If baptism cleanses original sin then why do the children of baptised parents still need to be baptised?
- 📝 Are tongues a sign for believers or unbelievers?
- 📝 Is Communion still Communion under only the species of wine?
- 📝 Are there any sects of Christianity that still practice animal sacrifice?
- 📝 How is Matthew 18: 8-9 explained in the context of non works-based salvation?
- 📝 Since Jesus death paid our sin debt in full, why do Christians still die?
- 📝 Do Christians believe that Jews must still follow the Mosaic law?
- 📝 Is it generally acceptable to attend a bible study as a non Christian?
- 📝 Which non LDS Christian denominations believe in baptism after death?